Rila Monastery & Boyana Church Tour - Every Day

FULL DAY TOUR (7-8 HRS) FROM SOFIA TO RILA MONASTERY AND BOYANA CHURCH

Two UNESCO World Heritage Sites in one day! The price… 30 Euro/pp (* for the period November-March the price is 35 Euro/person)

Rila Monastery is definitely a must-see if you are a tourist with a free day in Sofia. The arcaded balconies, the unique frescoes – a work of one of the most famous Bulgarian Revival Period painters, the gilded iconostasis, the fabulous mountain views… and the unique combination of them all makes the visit to the monastery extraordinary and memorable one. You will have at least two full hours of free time at the Rila Monastery to explore the most visited UNESCO site in Bulgaria, enter the main church and take photos of the narthex’s gallery, admire the exhibits in the History Museum of the Monastery, try the tasty "mekitsi" (Bulgarian donnuts) with delicious buffalo’s yogurt (local specialty) or even have a short walk in the area;

The Boyana Church's frescoes bring epochal change in the mural painting and are considered predecessors of the European Renaissance. The majority of more then 240 figures depicted there have individuality, vitality and psychological dept.

The tour’s departure point is St. Alexander Nevski Square (south-east corner; at the parking lot in front of La Cattedrale restaurant. You will received a map with instructions after completing the booking). Hotel pick-up can be ordered, but are surcharged 5 euro per booking. The tour concludes in the afternoon with drop off at Al. Nevski Cathedral. Please click on the Map on this website to see the meeting point location.

Click on Itinerary and useful information for further details.

EASY AND RELIABLE ONLINE BOOKING
- You can swiftly book online with a few clicks using our secure online system at the end of the page;- If you have questions write us a mailat: info@traventuria.com or ring at: +359 2 489 08 83

REMARKS & LOGISTICS:
- Advance booking is required! Showing up without a reservation will not guarantee you a seat on the bus.

9:00 The meeting point is behind "Alexandar Nevski" Cathedral and just in front of "La Cathedralе" Restaurant. After completing the booking you will receive a map with further details. PLEASE BE AT THE MEETING POINT 15 MINUTES EARLIER!11:20 - the expected time of arrival at Rila Monastery.13:30 - starts the transfer from Rila Monastery to Boyana Church.15:30 - the expected time of arrival at the Boyana Church (here you will have appr. 30 minutes to visit the church)16:30-17:00 - you will be back at Alexandar Nevski Cathedral (or in your hotel for the period November-March).

CHILDREN DISCOUNTS: Children up to 12 years old are subject to a discount of 5 Euro. Child seats will be provided free of charge. Please be advised that the tour is not suitable for children under 5 years old.

AUDIO GUIDES: An audio guide for the Rila Monastery in Spanish, Italian, German and Russian is available with a supplement of 5 Euro per person. Enjoy a comprehensive 1 hour professionally recorded commentary on Rila and Vitosha Mountains, Rila Monastery Architecture, History and Frescoes.

WWF DANUBE-CARPATHIAN PROGRAM DONATIONS (wwf.bg): Traventuria Ltd is an environmentally responsible company that supporsts the work of the World Wide Fund. You can also help by donating funds for their activities during the booking process.

PLEASE NOTE: The time spent inside the Boyana church is limited to a maximum of 10 minutes, as a preservation measurement for the UNESCO World Heritage site's fragile frescos. It is better to prepare a lunch pack and use the free time at the Rila monastery for exploration and contemplation.